Originally Posted By utahjosh <Now we've got that crazy Westboro Church claiming that if he doesn't burn Korans, they'll do it in his place> What a horrible church. My question is, if they love the idea so much, why not just do it, too? Why say "we'll do it if you don't?"
Originally Posted By plpeters70 Maybe to attract more followers, which usually equals more money in the coffers. Probably hoping for donations from like-minded people as well. Or, they're just crazy and want to get their twisted message out there for the world to hear. Who knows...
Originally Posted By wahooskipper I'm no psychologist, but I think the prevalent feelign of helplessness in today's world underlines some of this. In most people, the solution to that feeling is positive. (I'll donate to Haiti relief, Katrina relief, cancer research, etc to feel better about myself and feel like I've done SOMETHING.) But, in others I think it manifests itself negatively. "Maybe I can't come over there and fight you but I'll burn your sacred book." Dr Hans is right...what possible good could come of a 50 person church getting this publicity? His church isn't going to explode with congregants over night. (Perhaps a bad choice of words.) I heard he might have a book and maybe some nutjobs will buy it. Unfortunately, religious intolerance has started much more significantly historic fires than the one currently smoldering in Gainesville.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan I just imagine this rube, upon announcing the burning is off, seeing the news crews packing up the cameras, the satellite trucks backing away. "Uh, wait a minute, fellers! I might go on ahead and do it after all! Don't go!" He needs to be ignored by the media. (It won't happen, but it ought to.) There are insane people in any big city, we don't cover their rantings about their hallucinations. Likewise, this nut should be ignored as well.
Originally Posted By hopemax I also wonder how easy it is to convince the Muslim world to not take this guy so seriously, when the majority of the US media is covering him so seriously. "If it's not a big deal, why is it such a big deal?" KWIM. Denounce him, and move on to cover more important business. Don't set up 24 hour coverage in his front yard, and devote special coverage to him. BTW, did you guys see a Federal judge ruled DADT unconstitutional? It broke about the same time the idiot said he was canceling, then not canceling.
Originally Posted By ecdc <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/10/this-is-how-the-media-wor_n_712229.html" target="_blank">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...229.html</a> Here's about as spot-on assessment as you'll find. It lays most of the blame on the media, which I wholeheartedly agree with. It's the new balloon boy. How are these people not embarrassed? My guess is they're so busy chasing shiny objects they don't have time to think about the insanity.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "Or, they're just crazy and want to get their twisted message out there for the world to hear." Any group of people who believes that Satan exists would qualify as crazy in my book.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 Since we have our very own media cover-er right here... Dshyates (and you don't have to answer if you don't feel like it): what are your feelings on this? Are you going because that's your assignment, and yours is not to question why? Were there any discussions in your newsroom about whether you ought to cover this guy or not? Is your organization going because they don't want to be left out if all the competitors will be there?
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <Any group of people who believes that Satan exists would qualify as crazy in my book. > "The greatest trick I ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist." Wait! I mean "The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist." The Devil! That other guy. Not me at all. Oh well, I've blown it now. Hellfire for all of you.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "Here's about as spot-on assessment as you'll find. It lays most of the blame on the media, which I wholeheartedly agree with. It's the new balloon boy." Or angry flight attendant. It's only a matter of minutes before this crazy pastor is offered a reality TV spot, if it hasn't happened already.
Originally Posted By dshyates It's even more crazy here today than yesterday. I can't wait for tomorrow.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper We are a nation that just can't stand to turn away from a train wreck.
Originally Posted By CuriouserConstance ""Or, they're just crazy and want to get their twisted message out there for the world to hear." Any group of people who believes that Satan exists would qualify as crazy in my book. " Can you imagine if Satan did exist? How in the world could you sleep at night knowing Satan is walking around somewhere? Not even the Church of Satan believes in Satan!
Originally Posted By ecdc Belief in Satan is scary to me. No, really. It externalizes evil. It blames evil on an outside source instead of on where evil really comes from: humans.
Originally Posted By utahjosh The existence of Satan never seemed crazy to me. Doesn't mean every ounce of evil done on earth is his fault. But hey, I believe a lot of crazy things to most of you, right, ecdc?
Originally Posted By dshyates Don't have any problem saying why I am out here. I was told to. But at this point, as a station we really don't have a choice. Being a "local" station, anytime there is a media feeding frenzy in your market you gotta cover it. It is interesting how this thing got to the point that it's at. I know it wasn't local media that blew this thing up. I had already been reading about on CNN before any of the locals even came out here. But now that everyone from the BBC, Skynews to German NPR.
Originally Posted By plpeters70 The idea of Satan doesn't really make much sense when you think about it. Why would a loving God allow an all-powerful evil being to come and tempt his creations, and then send them to Hell for all eternity if they give-in to those temptations? It just doesn't make any sense. And really, there's not one thing that I can think of that a human could do that is deserving of an ETERNITY of torture. Nothing is worth that kind of suffering without end. The very idea of such a thing is just sick!
Originally Posted By plpeters70 <<anytime there is a media feeding frenzy in your market you gotta cover it>> That seems to be where all the media is now. I think they probably realize they took this too far, but now, who's gonna step back first? No one wants to be the one channel that isn't getting the scoop, right?!
